INDIANAPOLIS -- Elizabeth City State University student-athlete Darius Satterfield was selected to participate in the NCAA's 2026 Emerging Leaders Seminar, a national leadership development program held at the NCAA headquarters and designed to prepare the next generation of college athletics professionals.

The three-day seminar brought together more than 160 interns and graduate assistants from NCAA member institutions, conference offices and affiliate organizations for immersive programming focused on leadership growth, career development and service. Since its inception in 2008, the Emerging Leaders Seminar has served as a premier pathway for young professionals seeking to make an impact in college athletics.

Original Story by Kobe Mosley, NCAA

When Darius Satterfield took his first step in the NCAA national office for the 2026 Emerging Leaders Seminar, he felt at home.

Satterfield, who has played football at Elizabeth City State, has attended multiple NCAA events, including the Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, Career in Sports Forum and the NCAA Convention for his duties with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 

"I think at each one, they've all served a perfect impact on my life at the point that I attended," Satterfield said. "Now coming to Emerging Leaders Seminar … this is a really cool opportunity for me to build on my leadership skills and figure out the tools that have gotten the people around me where they are now."

Satterfield, along with over 160 interns and graduate assistants from NCAA member schools, conference offices and affiliate organizations, attended the program held Wednesday through Friday. Since 2008, the event annually provides leadership, educational and transitional programming for selected participants. Attendees also participated in community service by leaving encouraging messages and bookmarks in books for children that were later donated to the Catch the Stars Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Indiana basketball legend Tamika Catchings.

"This year's theme, The Takeoff: Taking Up Space, was envisioned by our outstanding postgraduate interns, Bryson Fields and Lucie Morris, and it perfectly reflects the spirit of our three-day program," said Ashley Jocelyn, associate director of leadership development at the NCAA. "The coming years will serve as a launchpad for many of our learners as they begin building their careers in college athletics.

"Just like space, the opportunities ahead are vast, and the unknowns are real. Our goal is to empower learners to take up space, trust their abilities and confidently leave an impactful mark on this industry."

Take a look at this "mission log" to see how the Emerging Leaders Seminar prepared these young professionals for careers within college athletics.

Day 1: Fueling Your Leadership

Day 1 keynote speaker Mike Smith opened the seminar by inspiring learners to embrace their passions without fear.  Smith shared his background and how he continually made quick but meaningful decisions rooted in his desire to help others.

A particular piece of advice Smith gave was to "chase a problem you get excited to solve." This stuck with Jaylin Miller, assistant men's basketball coach and assistant to the athletics director at Farmingdale State.

"I actually wrote it down, and I'm gonna save it as my screen saver," Miller said. "He did a great job and really gave us the blueprint of how to go through life and how to go through athletics and showed us that you can do multiple things and still do what you love."

Learners also went through "Crew Calibration" training, analyzing the results of their DISC assessments to better understand their workplace personalities and how to pair their personalities with those of others. 

"I was an 'I,' which was very on brand for me because I am extremely outgoing," said Benton Jones, a graduate assistant at LSU. "Knowing that you can be that person in a workplace that can bring positivity and encouragement and also at the same time support the people around you is very encouraging and makes you want to keep doing it."

Day 2: Into Orbit

Felicia Martin, NCAA senior vice president of inclusion, education and community engagement, began the second day of programming by teaching how to "navigate your solar system." 

"One thing that I really took from her was giving people their flowers when they can still smell them," said Sa'Mone Winters, a McLendon Fellow at the Horizon League. "Harboring connections, not just for work but for holistic reasons as well, is something I've implemented in my life, and I never looked at it from her point of view. So hearing that perspective of giving flowers and showing gratitude was super important to me."

Participants then were given the opportunity to network with professionals at the NCAA and surrounding institutions and organizations before attending "Career Constellations," breakout sessions where attendees learned more about specific industries like communications and marketing, fundraising and development, and compliance.

Next, learners discussed the best practices for ascending in their careers in the "Launching Your Next Mission" session with Kristia Worthy, talent acquisition manager at Yum! Brands. 

Day 2 concluded with skill-building breakouts to add to participants' "astronaut tool kits." Colby Wilson, assistant director of student-athlete development at Maryland, led the Interview 101 session.

"My biggest thing I emphasized was be yourself," Wilson said. "I told them to try to flip the interview into a conversation, add in a personal story where they can. I wanted them to leave my session knowing who they are and then leave the weekend knowing what their one thing is … that's different from the person sitting next to them."

Day 3: The Expedition

On the final day of the seminar, Bryan Blair, Toledo vice president and director of athletics, shared his journey to a high leadership role within college athletics and what steps are necessary to be successful as a young professional. A recurring theme throughout the session was the importance of confidence in yourself and your goals.

"Don't let others set a limit on your dreams," Blair said. "You can define that by work ethic, how you take up space, how you show up for others."

Mark Trumbo, NCAA director of leadership development, closed the program by speaking  about the pursuit of purpose. Trumbo challenged the young professionals in the room to confront their perceived inhibitors of success and determine how to attack them head-on.

"The monsters only exist if you choose to run," Trumbo said.

Trumbo's words resonated with Kareem Williams, a McLendon Fellow at the University of Chicago. Williams encourages other to apply to the Emerging Leaders Seminar as the first step toward taking up space.

"If you're scared, just do it," Williams said. "These people are here investing in us. They care about us. They want to see you win."